1. Field of the Invention
This invention directs itself to construction systems utilized for properly positioning building structural members that typically span between spaced walls, beams or columns. In particular, this invention directs itself to a system wherein at least one fixing member having a pair of upstanding support members is secured to a base plate by a self-locking arrangement. More in particular, at least one of the pair of upstanding support members is formed with a pair angularly extending flanges that are elastically angularly displaceable to pass through a slotted opening having corresponding angularly directed portions extending at a different angle, and then return to their original angle to prevent the support member from reversibly passing back through the slot. Still further, multiple base plates can be joined together using the self-locking feature of the fixing members to bridge between base plates. One upstanding support member of a fixing member is secured to each of two longitudinally adjacent base plates. Additionally, the base plates may be formed with a multiplicity of slotted openings, so that fixing members can be selectively assembled in any of a plurality of spacings corresponding different construction standards for the building structural members being supported.
2. Prior Art
Construction devices for positioning and securing structural members to supporting walls are well known in the art. The best prior art known to Applicant include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,672,014; 6,412,233; 5,884,448; 5,606,837; 5,412,920; 4,878,323; 4,704,829; 4,669,235; 4,637,195; 4,596,101; 4,490,956; 4,361,999; 4,246,736; 4,122,647; 4,080,771; 3,959,945; 3,421,270; 3,390,494; 3,289,362; and, 2,964,807.
In earlier systems having an inventor in common with the inventor of the instant invention, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,672,014 and 6,412,233, structural member receiving spaces are defined between vertically directed C-shaped channel members. The channel members are affixed to a base plate by a conventional means of fastening, such as welding. While the resulting mounting devices add considerable strength to the resulting building structure, their manufacture, packaging and storage are not highly efficient.
In some prior art systems, such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,080,771 and 4,669,235, there are provided truss aligning systems which become an integral part of the building structure when it is completed. In such systems, a flat metal member is provided which is mounted to the top plate of a building frame. The flat metal member has a plurality of pairs of upstanding flanges laterally spaced along the plate. Each of the pair of flanges are spaced apart one from another by a distance corresponding to the thickness of a roof truss or other structural member. Each of the flanges is provided with a plurality of apertures through which fasteners can be driven to secure the structural member thereto. However, the structures of such systems suffer from an inability to be inefficiently packaged for shipping and/or storage, and do not provide a significant amount of vertical rigidity and torsion resistance to building structural members. Further, such systems also require a multiplicity of different sized parts to be stocked to accommodate the different configurations common in the building industry.